I'm still waiting to hear what prospects they're getting back. I highly doubt they'll be "major-league ready," since Oakland studiously divested themselves of most of their remaining assets of that sort last season. Still, I'd rather have A's prospects than most other teams', since they draft and develop pitchers like clockwork and they have a farm system that to its roots respects pitch counts and year-to-year innings increases.

Is Holliday the big star that Oakland will re-sign and build around as they open their new stadium? Or does Billy Beane figure that a year of Matt Holliday and compensation picks is better than whatever he's sending back to Dan O'Dowd?

In any case, Rockies fans should be irate. Particularly since Holliday told the Denver Post a week ago that the major reason he doesn't want to stay with Colorado is because he doesn't believe they can compete reliably. A year after they were in the World Series! If you go from defending NL champs to your best player deserting you over competition concerns in one year, there's something deeply broken with your franchise.

"If you go from defending NL champs to your best player deserting you over competition concerns in one year, there's something deeply broken with your franchise."

Or with your best player.

Remember, Holliday did change agents to {cue descending organ power chords here} Scott Boras. Colorado doesn't want to compete for Holliday on the open market, where all of Boras' clients end up - and someone out there will make the grass look greener - so the Rockies will take something now instead of two compensatory picks in 2010.

"If you go from defending NL champs to your best player deserting you over competition concerns in one year, there's something deeply broken with your franchise."

Or with your best player.

Remember, Holliday did change agents to {cue descending organ power chords here} Scott Boras. Colorado doesn't want to compete for Holliday on the open market, where all of Boras' clients end up - and someone out there will make the grass look greener - so the Rockies will take something now instead of two compensatory picks in 2010.

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